Changes coming Monday: Oldies off 1390 WFBL, move to 1050.

[JakeLongwell]

I agree that hiring local talent will greatly benefit WFBL/WMCR. But, I'll be very surprised if this happens, because I was talking to a friend who lives in Sherrill, NY recently. He said there had been an opinion piece in one of the local papers in which someone was lamenting that all of WMCR's local programming, outside of morning drive, was replaced with satellite fare. I did not see said editorial, nor do I know if this is in fact true. But, if it is, I have to wonder just how much local content will be offered on WFBL, WMCR, or WSEN.

 

[fybush]

I agree that hiring local talent will greatly benefit WFBL/WMCR. But, I'll be very surprised if this happens, because I was talking to a friend who lives in Sherrill, NY recently. He said there had been an opinion piece in one of the local papers in which someone was lamenting that all of WMCR's local programming, outside of morning drive, was replaced with satellite fare. I did not see said editorial, nor do I know if this is in fact true. But, if it is, I have to wonder just how much local content will be offered on WFBL, WMCR, or WSEN.

I was listening to WMCR on the way to the SBE Expo at Turning Stone last week, and there was still local programming on the air, at least at 10 AM or thereabouts - specifically, a local "open lines" call-in show. I didn't hear any callers during the 10 minutes or so I stayed tuned in. Draw whatever conclusions you'd like from that...

 

[Element9]

Just read Radio-Info News.

As Radio-Info and Tom Taylor’s “Taylor on Radio-Info” previously reported, the switch from oldies to talk on WFBL-AM (1390) was made Monday, but with a few technical glitches. The lineup starts with Talk Radio Network’s American Morning News in morning drive, followed by Laura Ingraham 9am-12noon, Westwood’s Dennis Miller from 1pm-4pm and Fred Thompson 4pm-6pm, Jason Lewis from 6pm-9pm, followed by an hour of Larry King, with Jim Bohannon and Phil Hendrie through 4am. The 12 noon hour for now will have a fourth hour of Ingraham, but is expected to have local programming in the near future. WFBL and WSEN-AM/FM (1050/92.1) were recently acquired by Leatherstocking Media (James V. Johnson).

If this is fact, WSYR is going to spank WFBL.

 

[yugoidar]

I don't think it will be the first time that WSYR has spanked WFBL. When was the last time 'FBL had decent numbers?

Did anyone really expect Leatherstocking to staff up and compete with WSYR?

 

[useddj]

The last time WFBL had decent ratings was back in 1993 when it was 1390AM...playing "Music of Your Life" with a live morning show....check their 12+ numbers they were beating WSEN FM!!!! (which was not and still is not hard to do), in fact they were written up in Billboard magazine...but alas...genius owners knew better bought the format and put it on 1050am...after all...the same music..no problem right??!?!?! ..uh....yeah...older demos like to hear their music at night and early morning....keep on rocking on!!!!

 

[MsMusicRadio]

My memory of Syracuse was a dreary and dying city with Salinas Street all boarded up. Since that was in the Seventies and Dey Brothers looked ready to close , I will always remember the music of WOLF, WNDR, and WHEN. I haven't been back in over 25 years.

 

[CNYRadio.com]

Just read Radio-Info News.

As Radio-Info and Tom Taylor’s “Taylor on Radio-Info” previously reported, the switch from oldies to talk on WFBL-AM (1390) was made Monday, but with a few technical glitches.

Love it when radio-info news rips off CNYRadio.com without attributing. How else could they have known there were technical glitches or grabbed the lineup which I personally received over the phone from the GM? Even on the best DX day, there's no way they're hearing WFBL on their radios in Chicago... and the new station doesn't have a website yet. Grrr.

Sorry for the rant, it just upsets me when a "major" operation with an entire team paid full-time workers has to lift info from a one-person non-profit operation like mine and they don't even have the decency to give credit. Even if the info was obtained elsewhere, there's still no attribution there at all. Isn't that a basic rule of journalism? Cite your sources!! If any board admins see this, please pass along the word to the news dept, and if you feel guilty enough, do us a favor and change the "Read Last Post" buttons on the board thread listings to "Read Last UNREAD Post" instead. Thanks.

 

[BobRoss]

Did anyone really expect Leatherstocking to staff up and compete with WSYR?

I don't think they do. If they really wanted to compete seriously, they'd have created an entire local newsroom with more people and better resources than WSYR. (And they probably would have re-located the studios to a more centralized location closer to all the action.) They also would have more local programming, at least enough to match the hours Galuski and Reith are on, and perhaps even more beyond that. I think it's clear they are NOT looking to compete -- as evidenced by the fact they are letting ABC fill the news windows entirely, and they are having their one hour of local talk at an hour where it's not going up against the other local talk hosts.

From the beginning, I think the main point of talk on WFBL has just been to offer something "different" instead of 3 stations doing 2 flavors of oldies music. Even if WFBL doesn't make major inroads against WSYR, it's still a different format, allowing the sales reps to approach different clients other than the limited pool of clients who are willing to invest in oldies radio. I can't imagine it's a picnic for those sales people, having to back to the same set of clients time and time and time again.

 

[CNYRadio.com]

Fellow Message Board Members,

I just wanted to take a moment to apologize for my comments about Radio-Info.com "ripping off" items from CNYRadio.com. It was wrong to make such assumptions and post them publicly rather than first attempting to bring the matter directly and privately to the site's management. As it turns out, Radio-Info heard about the story in question via a tipster, it was verified by a WFBL employee who asked not to be identified, and that's why there was no attribution made in their story. I was also provided some examples of earlier stories where they did give credit where credit was due.

While it's not necessarily an excuse, Saturday was not a great day for me personally (a mild understatement, but I'll leave it at that), and I shouldn't have allowed personal matters to translate into a petty, poor attitude here on this forum.

I think it's wonderful what Radio-Info has here, between both the news offerings and the message boards. I apologize again to the R-I news staff for my previous commentary, and I apologize also to you, fellow forum members, for my poor display of behavior. Rest assured, it will not happen again.

 

[therealjm12]

It takes a big man (person) to admit they were wrong. Most times people respect you more than before when you admit to making a mistake.

 

[Element9]

Fellow Message Board Members,

I just wanted to take a moment to apologize for my comments about Radio-Info.com "ripping off" items from CNYRadio.com. It was wrong to make such assumptions and post them publicly rather than first attempting to bring the matter directly and privately to the site's management. As it turns out, Radio-Info heard about the story in question via a tipster, it was verified by a WFBL employee who asked not to be identified, and that's why there was no attribution made in their story. I was also provided some examples of earlier stories where they did give credit where credit was due.

While it's not necessarily an excuse, Saturday was not a great day for me personally (a mild understatement, but I'll leave it at that), and I shouldn't have allowed personal matters to translate into a petty, poor attitude here on this forum.

I think it's wonderful what Radio-Info has here, between both the news offerings and the message boards. I apologize again to the R-I news staff for my previous commentary, and I apologize also to you, fellow forum members, for my poor display of behavior. Rest assured, it will not happen again.

You should be ashamed of yourself, apologizing! You've taken the 'Cuse board up about 50 notches. Oh for the days when Biggus used to fence with The Genius and ad hominem hand grenades flew freely and fervently. Sigh.

Seriously though, you wouldn't be the first poster to rush to judgment. All's forgiven. Hope things have improved in your world.

 

[jefflaurence]

Ms Music Radio..didn't know you were in the Salt City! I was at WOLF in 1974..and WHEN in 75-76..great times..I found Syracuse to be a fun, and vital town in those years..Salt potatoes at Tom's Clam Cove..breakfast at the Little Gem Diner..lasagna and beers in Grimaldi's on Erie Blvd..more beers at The Yellow Balloon..then off to Uncle Sams..and finally the Brookside closed the night out..Weekends it was up to Liverpool for weenies at Heids (Food You'll Like) Alka Seltzer at Fay Drugs..and awesome reubens at Danzer's..man I gained a lot of weight in that town!

And now I am the (imaging) voice guy for CNY Talk Radio..life is sweet!

Jeff Laurence
www.jefflaurence.com